The Heart Of A Fool
by goldnote
Summary: House is crossing the line and making mistakes. How is everyone going to survive House and his bad temper? What is about to happen that will change their lives forever? Rated T because it's House...
1. Accident

_It feels good to be writing another House fic! After "Just Once" and "Music," I wondered how I was going to follow all of that up. This is not a sequel to either story. I just wanted to write something that had some dialog and involved more of the characters. Just writing about House and Cameron (although I never once wrote her name!) gets a little old if there is nothing for the mind to work on but that... So, this should be a good series. At this point, I have no clue where any of this is going, but I'll figure something out as I go along._

_At this point, I would like to present you with the story, so, here we go!_

Accident

He was an idiot. An absolute idiot. Why he hadn't seen it before was amazing. Chase had caught the mistake, of all people. If anyone would have outwitted him, he thought it would have been Cameron, but no. It was the British guy. It was so basic, too. The acetaminophen would have reacted, causing the effects of the illness to worsen. House tapped his fingers on his desk in anticipation. Any moment now, someone would come for him, telling him he had been right after all and that the patient needed his help.

No one came.

* * *

"And now I suppose he is sulking like a teenager?"

"Yes. We don't really want to go anywhere near him until we know that crazy look has left his eyes. Cameron was going to go looking for him, but we convinced her that wasn't the best action."

"Great... Where is she now?"

"We really don't know."

Cuddy leaned back in her chair, looking at Chase and Foreman in distaste. The early afternoon light streamed in through the window, lighting the office in a warm glow that didn't match the mood coming from the three doctors at all.

"How is the patient?" Cuddy asked with a sigh.

"Doing better. I don't think the acetaminophen would have caused something life threatening, but it was not the safest way to go."

Foreman looked at Chase, a slight smile on his face. As terrifying as it was to have House angry because of his own mistake, it was worse to have one of House's own team to correct him. But Foreman couldn't help but smile just the same.

"You know House. Nothing about him is safe. His glance alone makes you want to grab a fire extinguisher, just in case." Cuddy bit her lip and thought for a few moments.

"No one talks to House until he comes to you. He wants one of you to step into the trap, so avoid him. I want one of you to make sure Cameron stays away from him and the other one to keep an eye on the patient. Let me know if anything goes wrong and keep me up to date on his condition."

"Who?" asked Chase, on his way out the door, Foreman on his heels. "The patient?"

"No," answered Cuddy. "House."

_

* * *

Sorry about the short chapter. This was just a set up, I think, to what is actually going to happen. More of a prelude, if that is the correct term! Anyway, I promise the next chapters will be longer and that things will pick up very quickly! Please review! I love comments; they help me figure where a story is going, even if I have a plot already! I also like to hear what people have to say so I can get characters right and things like that. Thanks so much and I'll update as soon as possible!_


	2. Frustration

_I have a good idea where this is heading... I am not quite sure on this chapter, but I just liked the 'idea' of it, so I risked writing it. I had to say I have fun writing situations like this and I couldn't put it off any longer or I would get too eager and ruin it, so... Here it is! If it doesn't really make sense right now, I'll explain things in depth later on in chapters to come. Until then, enjoy!_

Frustration

"House?"

They had told her not to go and find him, but Cameron had other plans. She had hid in the cafeteria until Foreman and Chase went by, away from House's office. She really wondered if she was doing the right thing in going to him, especially if he was still as furious as he was when Chase had stopped House from giving the pills to the patient. Cameron could see in her mind's eye how grave his face had become, how silent the room had been. He had looked at every person from his medical team straight in the eyes before storming off as best he could with his cane, slamming the door open and leaving it open as he disappeared down the hallway toward his office.

She took a deep breath and entered, pretending to ignore his penetrating gaze as she turned and shut the door behind her.

"So, you've ignored Chase and Foreman before, but never Cuddy. I have to say your corruption is coming along nicely."

His caustic voice hardly filled the room, but Cameron could hear him. She just chose to keep ignoring him, putting her head against the glass door. At that point, she really wished she would have followed orders and stayed away from House.

"Can you hear me or will I have to get up and walk all the way over there, crippled as I am? You wouldn't-"

"I can hear you," Cameron muttered, wishing she could move through the glass without opening the door. "As clear as crystal."

"Hum, let's think about that statement."

Cameron shut her eyes and sighed. Great, now she was going to have to listen to House complain and snap at her because of his mistake. But, what else was she expecting? Had she wanted to find him docile and tender-hearted? She never did... She could have laughed at herself.

"Many ancient civilizations used crystals for healing the sick. There are still nut cases today who go around, claiming the healing capabilities of crystals. What do you think? Do you think we should place crystals everywhere in this hospital, have one on every doctor? Should we use them directly, instead of just in machines that diagnose illness? We could actually cure illness with a plain crystal?"

"I-"

"But, no, modern medicine says crystal has no place in this world as a direct cure. We use modern medicine and, with modern medicine, you have results. But, along with actual results, you have mistakes."

The silence was suffocating and every one of Cameron's nerves were on edge, waiting for the rant to continue. But, instead she heard the slight scuffle of him getting up from his desk. He made no sound walking across the carpet and Cameron could see him out of the corner of her eye, simply standing there.

"You're leaving smudges on the glass. Are you going to move or not?"

Cameron took a few quick steps backwards and succeeded in snagging one of her shoes on the carpet, snapping off the heel. She hit the ground on her side, feeling the scratchy carpet under her hands. Sitting up, she looked at House nervously. He simply stopped halfway out into the hallway, aware of the fact she had fell, and, after a few moments, he walked away, ignoring her.

Angrily, she took off the broken shoe and crawled into the chair in the corner of the office. The fall hadn't hurt a bit, just frustrating her as she looked at the broken shoe before taking off the other one. She had listened to House vent his own frustration, letting him take it out on her.

At least she had protected the rest from him.

_

* * *

There we are... I'll write another chapter very soon! I have this 'thing' with shoes, I suppose. I don't think I like Cameron wearing shoes, because I see a pattern in almost all of my stories. She either breaks them, takes them off, or loses them. Hum, I have to figure that one out... Thanks for reading and be sure to review! A review is really nice and helps so much! Happy reading!_


	3. Wimps

_Third chapter is up! Sorry about the short length of the chapters. I hand-write about two to three pages and, in the typing process, I cut and add whatever I feel doesn't fit or doesn't sound right, so I really cut the words down... Gah. Sorry, anyway, if the chapter length annoys anyone. Here we go!_

Wimps

"What wimps," House commented, deciding to break the silence in the hallway and let them know he was there.

"What do you mean, wimps?" asked Foreman, turning around to face House. "And how long have you been following us?"

"I've only been following you for the past minute or so; very observant, you two."

Chase snorted as he continued reviewing a folder, never looking at House.

"And by wimps, I mean why the two men of my medical team let the one woman come to my office whenI was in a rage. Whatever happened to chivalry?"

"Damn it, Cameron," Chase muttered, slamming the file shut, tossing his head back.

"We told her to stay away from you," Foreman said, watching House for a reaction.

"I know, keep poor, delicate, flower-like Cameron away from mean, cranky, evil, dangerous Dr. House. I just ruffled her up a bit; she shouldn't have too many bruises." Seeing the horror on both of their faces, House rolled his eyes, adding, "I didn't lay a hand on her... the broken heel wasn't my fault. You two have no sense of humor."

"Where is she now?"

"Oh, probably laying on the floor of my office, crying, wondering why I did what I did. Joking, joking... Look, I'm not a babysitter. I'm hardly a doctor."

"All of that for what could have been one short answer," said Foreman, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I like doing things the hard way; short and sweet isn't as confusing, thus not as fun."

* * *

Cuddy burst into House's office, furious. She had called him to her office and, of course, he was ignoring her. After the fourth time she had called for him, Cuddy decided enough was enough.

However, there was no House, but there was one of his medical team sitting in his armchair in the corner, holding a broken shoe.

"Cameron," Cuddy put her hand to her head and shut her eyes. "What are you doing here? Don't you have work to do?"  
"I'm taking my lunch break right now."

"But, you need to have lunch on a lunch break."

"Not necessarily."

Cuddy couldn't believe it. Here was the strongest female doctor, next to herself, sitting in House's office, quiet and humble.

"Let's go and get something to eat," Cuddy said, checking her watch. It was about time she went on break, anyway. Seeing Cameron holding her shoes, Cuddy added, "I have a spare pair until you fix those."

With a slight smile, Cameron followed Cuddy out the door.

_

* * *

I don't think this chapter is my best writing at all, but it's needed for a chapter I am coming up to that needs a lot of thought to work properly. I am sorry if it bothers anyone on the fact that this chapter went no where and only set up the next few chapters, but it's needed... Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!_


	4. Worthiness

_Chappie Four! I really didn't know if a heart to heart between Cameron and Cuddy would be a good thing or not, but I enjoyed writing it. I think that Cuddy would be a nice person to talk to and Cameron, although she is a bit 'out of character' in this chapter, I think, really gets along with Cuddy. So, it's like an older sister type thing, in a way. I don't think I know how to describe it, so I'm just going to let you read! Enjoy and let me know what you think!_

Worthiness

"So, why do I always find you in his office? Why is it that, whenever I look for you, you're in House's office? It's getting a little suspicious."

The two women were in the cafeteria, sipping the coffee Cuddy had bought. Cameron had brought her handbag, but Cuddy had pushed that away, saying it was her treat. Cameron was appreciative, but embarrassed. The head of the hospital shouldn't be treating her to lunch. Cuddy's shoes were too big for her and Cameron was pushing them around with her toes under the table.

"I don't- I don't even really know," she stuttered, staring into the chocolate brown of the coffee in her cup, avoiding Cuddy's eyes.

"Don't-" Cuddy cut herself off and took a deep breath before continuing. "You don't need to lie to me, Allison. Just talk to me."

"Even though House is basically the cause of the drama in this hospital-" Cuddy nodded in agreement "-I can't help but think that he is the ship that keeps us all afloat. He yells and can be so nasty sometimes and has nothing nice to say, but being around him is calming."

Cameron took a sip of her coffee as Cuddy wondered to herself why Cameron would consider House an 'emotional anchor' when the man was so unstable. Cameron continued as she put her coffee cup down.

"Just sitting in his office is a calming thing. I prefer doing my work there because I can concentrate. If he walks in, I leave, but-"

"I can't give you House's office. Unless he really messes up and-"

"I know, but it's not the office itself. I thinks it's because it belongs to House."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Cuddy stirred her coffee and Cameron pretended to be very interested in her hands.

"Why would you go to him, though, knowing he was in a crappy mood?"

"Because I don't want him to take it out on anyone else. I can deal with it if he needs to take his anger out on someone, but that someone should be me. Foreman and Chase would just get upset and make it worse, the patients would complain, Wilson is never around for these things, and you wouldn't allow him to vent on you. You would give him new problems, no offense meant."

"None taken. I understand, but I have to say I don't agree with your way of thinking. You shouldn't let him do that. If he needs to vent his anger, fine, but you need to just leave him alone when he's mad. Taking it out on you now doesn't guarantee he won't take it out on someone else later. If you want the truth, I have to say that what you're doing is pretty twisted. You can't let him punish you for his own mistakes. It won't do anything but hurt you both, okay? You're worth more than that. I know the shoe was an accident, but don't hesitate to tell me if anything happens that isn't an accident."

Cuddy patted Cameron's hand as Cameron's pager went off.

"I have a patient," she said, slipping on the borrowed shoes and taking one last sip of her coffee. "Thanks, Lisa."

"Anytime, Allison, anytime," Cuddy muttered with a smile, watching Cameron walk out of the cafeteria. She needed to have a talk with House.

_

* * *

There we are with the end of the fourth chapter. I don't want to imply that House would abuse Cameron or anyone else, but I like using every possibility available. Thanks for reading and please review!_


	5. Flowers

_Chapter Five is up... I wanted a slow story. I don't know what author really wants a slow story, but I want one; I decided this as I was writing this chapter. I don't want to cram things. Instead, I almost want it to drag on and on, but not in the boring sense. I just don't want to push the plot. This is just not a story that can stand to be pressured into a few small chapters. So, I am going to make people wait for what happens next! _

Flowers

"How are you doing, Joseph?"

"It's Mr. Deleyney."

"Excuse me, sir."

House snorted over in his corner of the patient's room, watching Foreman apologize and the patient's nose rise haughtily into the air. Mr. Deleyney needed a reality check.

The room was full of flowers, all of them bright and fragrant. Bouquets sat on the floor, on the nightstand, on the windowsill. Foreman was taking a small blood sample and House, bored, took a petal from a nearby basket of roses.

Roses. How cliché. House felt the velvety smoothness on his fingers ans saw the deep wine-red of the petal disappear as he pulled it into his palm, crushing it. He could feel the velvet crunch with the pressure and opened his palm to reveal a bruised rose petal: nothing more.

Flowers were so useless. Yes, some people liked the way they smelled and looked and how they could be arranged so easily. But they didn't last for long. Flowers always died too soon. For a few days, they sat wherever you put them, doing nothing, just sitting until you noticed they were dying. That was when they were thrown out. Sure, sometimes people pressed the petals and leaves of the flowers, saving them for the memories they brought, but that was a rare person indeed.

House heard the medical machines go off, signaling the patient had gone into cardiac arrest, but he didn't look up until the crash cart was brought in and Foreman shook House's arm. Chase and Cameron had taken over the job of trying to start the patient's heart. Cameron brushing the hair out of her eyes carelessly as she set the machine to deliver the needed bolts of electricity to start the heart. Chase placed the paddles on the patient and the man shook with the power being forced through his body, his heart regaining it's steady beat after the second jolt of electricity.

The nurses took over from there, two of them staying at Mr. Deleyney's side while another tried to take away the crash cart. Cameron shook her head no, however, and pulled the cart back, placing it in a corner. Chase, wiping his brow, stepped away from the patient, supervising the nurses as they secured the stability of the patient for the moment. House could see their mouths move, but heard no sound. He saw the concern on Foreman's face, but it didn't make him move any faster.

As House started to walk away, turning the colors of the flowers into shades of grey, taking careful observation of the patient before hobbling out the door. He passed Cameron on his way out and could faintly smell the scent of flowers. The bruised rose petal fell from his hand and drifted to the floor. No one took notice of the petal, but if anyone would have paid attention, they would have seen the vibrant red petal, looking like a neglected bloodstain on the cold tiles.

_

* * *

I admit, this was a bit melodramatic, but I don't think I want this to read like an exact story, either. I want people to read between the lines and figure out what everything means. If you read every word directly and not think, then you might not enjoy it... But, I hope to get a review from you! Tell me what you think! Happy reading... Thanks!_


	6. Pebbles

_Thank you for all the reviews! It makes me so happy! Someone mentioned that this was a change of style for me, and I have to agree that it is! I didn't write a House fic that had dialog until this one... It's odd for me to write like this, but I'm falling into the stream of things. I was going to write it as a stream of consciousness thing with House, but I don't like sticking to one character. _

_I've done some research on this story, actually, and before I go into the illness this guy has, I want to credit Wikipedia... I don't know what I would do without that site, so I want to give three cheers to Wikipedia! On with the story!_

Pebble

"So, what is his condition?" asked Cameron, elbows resting on the table in House's office. Foreman sighed as Chase walked into the room, taking off his gloves, joining the two other ducklings.

"He's not at risk for another heart failure at the moment," Chase answered, "But we have him monitored right now. What's confusing is that he doesn't have any arterial blockages."

"Chase, if you think back from school, cardiac arrest and cardiac failure are two different things and one of them doesn't involve arterial blockages," House said, uncapping the dry erase marker and hobbling over to the white board. "What was he admitted for?"

"Fatigue," Foreman answered, pulling Mr. Deleyney's chart toward him and opening it. "It says that he was admitted yesterday afternoon for fatigue and tremors. He was going to be treated for exhaustion and released, but demanded he stay at the hospital."

"How do you treat exhaustion besides sleep?" asked House sarcastically, pulling his eyebrows together in a glare he then directed at Foreman.

"Anyway," Foreman continued, slightly phased by House, "He had no symptoms to lead to a cardiac episode like he did. After I took a blood sample, he-"

"Well, would taking a blood sample have anything-"

"Duh," said House, cutting Chase and Foreman off, mocking them. "Would taking a small blood sample really cause Mr. Rich-Guy's heart to cease a normal pattern? Would throwing a pebble into a river really cause the water to stop flowing? Think!"

Chase and Foreman exchanged a look behind House's back.

"Any other symptoms? What has this guy been doing the past 24 hours? Sleep? Cameron, have any suggestions or are you about to fall asleep yourself?"

Cameron, whose head had been drooping, sat straight up and thought carefully, nervous under House's gaze.

"Well, his appetite has been large, but I don't see-"

"Has he been losing any weight?"

"I could check-"

"Do that. Now."

Cameron, startled, gathered her things and left the office to find Mr. Deleyney's medical chart from the previous day. Foreman winced as he looked at the file in front of him. Cameron would be looking for something that was already in the hands of the medical legend; quite literally, Foreman thought, House snatching the file from him.

"But, Cameron was-"

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to get her out of the way," House said, interrupting Chase, glancing through the file.

"You just love doing that, don't you?"

"You saw right through me. Both of you, go check on the patient and report back to me on these things," House ordered, circling some things in the cart before handing it back to Foreman.

Silently, the two doctors left, leaving House standing alone with the dry erase marker still uncapped. House watched them leave, muttering to himself. He hadn't been able to think with Cameron in the room; he had to remember that sending her away would be his choice action in the future if he needed to think at all.

_

* * *

I'll update soon! I really found a medical thing to go along with this; I was so thrilled. Now, I just want to keep writing! Please read and review! Telling me what you think about it really helps in the creative process. (I love it when House cuts the ducklings off when they talk, so I used a lot of that in this chapter; I hope it wasn't too confusing or anything!) Thanks for reading and I hope you stick with the story!_


	7. Questions

_Here comes the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and keep telling me what you have to say! Thanks so much! Onward!_

Questions

"What we've found is that Mr. Deleyney is still exhausted, he's eating but losing weight, and he's sweating profusely."

Chase handed the file to House, who had been standing at his white board, twirling his cane around his long fingers, lost in thought. Foreman followed Chase into the office, shaking his head.

"How long has the patient been irritable?"

Foreman stopped in the middle of the room, frowning.

"How did you know?" he asked. House rolled his eyes.

"Either you always look that pissed off or I just never noticed before now. What did he say?"

"What does it matter?" Foreman said, taking a seat at the glass table.

"Oh, did I hurt Foreman's feelings?" asked House, cooing to the doctor. "Chase, why don't you give him a hug and a lollipop while I page for Cameron?" Chase raised an eyebrow and looked at Foreman questioningly, the insulted doctor shaking his head, arms up to ward off a potential hug.

"Anyway, what did he say?" House continued, hobbling over to his desk and picking up the hospital directory, flipping through the numerous pages in slight confusion.

"He was just... Mr. Deleyney has always been the type of man to get what he wants and likes to throw his weight around. Reminds me of you, a little," Foreman said, shooting venom at House.

"Ouch, that hurt. Continue."

"Well, he is just being rude and told me that he wasn't going to have a black doctor do anything else for him because it's apparently my fault he had the cardiac episode while I was taking blood. After that, I made Chase take over."

"That racist bastard. If I were you, I'd go give him a good rattling, you know, the good ol' southern way-"

"You don't need to say anything. Just mark irritability on the list of symptoms."

Chase took the marker from the table and wrote the new symptom on the growing list. House called over his shoulder, "Be sure to mark racism." Chase, confused once more, started to write, but Foreman shook his head again, Chase hastily putting down the marker and erasing the few letters he had written with the sleeve of his coat.

"Paging Allison Cameron, right now. Cameron, get-"

The door swung open and Cameron entered, furious. House, looking up from his phone call, continued. "Never mind, she just burst into my office, about to attack me. Continue with your meager lives, go on-"

"House, you-"

"How nice for you to be late."

"You sent-"

"Take a seat."

"But you-"

"Really, sit down before I have to make you sit down."

House grinned as Cameron, flustered and angry, unable to finish a sentence, sat down across from him, next to Chase, who was trying to get the marker off his jacket with a bit of spit, Foreman looking disgusted.

"Now, what else has been going on with Mr. Racist?"

"We just looked for the things you told us to. We found the sweating, the irritability, the weight loss, the diarrhea. What else did you want us to look for?"

"Chase, how long have you been a doctor?"

"I don't see how that is related to the case, House."

"Well, I'll take that answer as not very long. Always check for more! If the patient is having heart problems and has weight loss and is sweating, are you going to figure out what is causing the sweating or the heart problem first? Give me information on the heart!"

Chase threw his head back and looked at his fellow doctors. Foreman was resting his chin in his hand, brows furrowed, Cameron was still furious, arms crossed over her chest, and House was waiting for answers.

"We could do a scan for blood clots and take another blood sample."

"What happened to the first blood sample?"

Foreman cleared his throat, telling House what he didn't want to hear.

"When the patient was-"

"You lost the blood sample?"

Foreman nodded, swallowing hard. House sighed and stood up, Foreman and Chase both flinching as House picked up his cane.

"Great. Just great. Pretty boy is back to elementary school and big guy has lost a blood sample. Ms. Fury over there is the only one I'm not mad at. Yet."

"I'll get on the sample."

"I'll schedule that scan."

Chase and Foreman stood from the table and left the room. House, taking a careful look at the board called after them.

"Check for exophthalmos, while you're at it. If this guy has cardiac arrhythmia, get back to me immediately."

"Why would we want to check for exophthalmos?"

"Chase, go play doctor and stop asking questions! Just do it!"

* * *

House sighed again, watching the two doctors leave his office and walk down the hallway before he turned his attention to Cameron.

"Oh, come on. You were the one who was late. Technically, I am the one who should be sulking."

"House, you had no right to send me on a goose chase. You-"

"I didn't send you to find geese, I sent you to find a folder. You never think about how stupid things sound until they leave your mouth."

"You knew the folder was in the office all along and you sent me all the way around the hospital, scaring me that the file was gone. I go back and check with Foreman on the last place he saw it, and he was holding the damn thing! House, that isn't right. That's crossing the line."

"No, crossing the line is if I were to do this."

House limped over to Cameron and grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of her chair. She tried to pull away, but his grasp was too strong and Cameron felt his fingers dig into her wrist, her skin crying out in pain as Cameron bit her lip.

"Just don't question me. I'm tired of people questioning me, asking about everything I do and don't do. If I say something should be done, it will be done without question in the future. It doesn't matter what I do because I am the best doctor this hospital has. Sure, a few people have sued, but that doesn't mean anything in the big picture. You and Chase and Foreman are all so lucky to be on my team and none of you realize it! Instead, you insult me by-"

"Let go of me."

"Don't-"

"I said let go!"

House let Cameron go, Cameron rubbing her wrist, refusing to meet House's eyes. House stared at her expectantly, waiting for the tears to start.

"I know every day how lucky I am to work at your side. I go home and I think about everything that has happened during the day and, if I wasn't on your team, I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. But, I don't like this, House. You can't keep doing this, abusing us. Foreman and Chase tolerate it, but I am always the one who ends up getting hurt. You never realize it until it's too late. Right now, you are looking at my wrist you just twisted and you see just that. You don't see how much that hurts. I stick up for my fellow doctors, but you don't need to rub salt in the wounds you cause. Inflicting them is punishment enough."

The two stood in silence for a few moments until House broke the quiet.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this!"

Cameron held up her wrist for House to see, red and obviously painful. House stared at it until Cameron pulled it back to her, holding it in her other hand.

"I don't mean to hurt you-"

"But you do. You are a great doctor, but that doesn't give you the right to be like this. Anyone else would call you up on physical abuse for what you just did, but not me. You know that and that is why you do this. Never again."

"Never again what?"

"Never again will you touch me in anger!"

Cameron walked past House, storming out of the office, leaving nothing but the scent of lavender in her wake.

_

* * *

I totally just made up the end part with Cameron and House. I don't think the real character would ever be cruel enough to do that to Cameron or any other doctor, but I know where I am going with this, and that was important. (I think.) Anyway, I'll update soon and I hope to get some reviews! Thanks for reading! (P.s. I really didn't mean to be racist in this story... I was doing that for a good spat between Foreman and House. I hope it didn't offend anyone. Sorry. I wanted to try something new and I don't think I like it when I write stuff like that...)_


	8. Rules

_Here we are with another chapter! Sorry it took me a little while; it's not going to go so fast until I get the bandages off my fingers (bad kitty and her sharp teeth) and I can type normally again. I accidentally shut down the computer once because my fingers were so clunky on the keyboard and I missed a command... gah. Anyway, I'll be sure to update whenever I can. I guess this just means writing everything out by hand for a few chapters and then working really fast on the keyboard later! _

But, you don't want to hear me babble, you want to read a story! Here it is!

* * *

Rules

"House!"

"I'm right here, you don't need to yell. You had my attention at the low cut blouse, anyway. Do you-"

"We are not talking about my clothes, we are talking about you abusing your workers! I would thank you to keep your eyes on my face."

"But that's not as fun. See, it's like the creature of mythology when, if you look at her face straight on, you die. Or at least get burned to a horrible crisp."

Cuddy glared her hardest at House until he finished. Satisfied he had throughly annoyed her in record time, House crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, waiting. Cuddy sighed sharply and sat down across from him, the sunlight from the windows falling across her desk. The silence was almost as bad as the taunts and Cuddy almost wished he would say something so she could leap at him like a beast and tear his throat out. It really was getting to be enough.

"Allison came in here, holding her wrist. She said-"

"Great, Cameron blabbed to you about our little misunderstanding?"

"That little misunderstanding caused a bruise, House. That is assault. I could fire you for that! I would, too, except she pleaded with me to not kick your ass out of the hospital!"

"Oh, you swore. I'm telling. How about I go and rat you out to Cameron?"

"House, this is serious! You could lose your job here if you keep this up. I won't lie: you are the one of the best doctors we have in this hospital or any other hospital. You can do almost anything if you put your mind to it, and here you are, abusing your staff. A female, no less. I could tell the Board of Directors about this and bring you for a hearing. If you hit Chase in the face, I could maybe get you off for rampant testosterone, but hurting Cameron? She would cost you everything."

"If I hit Chase? Are you kidding me? He's more of a woman than Cameron is!"

Cuddy narrowed her eyes and House threw his hands up, warding off her stare, relenting.

"Okay, so that wasn't the best joke, but you would never bring me to the Board of Directors."

"I have once already! In case you forgot-"

"Never mind, you wouldn't bring me to the Board of Directors again, is what I meant to say. Again. But, if you lost me, this hospital would fall apart."

"How so? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't send you down to Stacy and hand you over. Just one good reason..."

The silence took over once more as Cuddy and House stared at one another. The threat of Stacy was helpful, Cuddy thought. She should use that one more often. House seemed a little more subdued, although the fire had only grown stronger in his ice grey eyes. It was the look of a maniac and Cuddy caught herself holding her breath. This man in front of her was not sane. He wasn't normal. But, that was what made him a great doctor. His brilliance shadowed all of the doctors in the hospital, including her own, which made her even more nervous. Finally, she came to a decision.

"From now on, you are not to have contact with Allison Cameron. If I hear you even looked at her the wrong way, you are put on probation and privileges are going to be taken away."

"Oh, I suppose you are going to take away play time and ice cream, too, huh?"

"House, it wouldn't help you to act like a jerk right now. At least hold it in until you leave my office. In addition, your team is going to be supervised by Wilson."

"Where does that leave me, if I can't work with Cameron?"

"Clinic duty."

A smile broke over Cuddy's face as she saw House's jaw drop.

"Just through the end of this case," Cuddy added, not wanting to be responsible for a shock induced heart attack on House's part. "When Mr. Deleyney is out of the hospital and the team has him in top health, then you can come back and work with everyone else. For now, thought, I think it's best if you are separated from the group and think things over. The nurse will have your clinic files ready for tomorrow."

House stood and hobbled to the door, muttering under his breath, cursing. Cuddy just smiled wider and hoped he would follow the rules she had just set down. Her smile faded slightly as she recalled all the other rules House had broken before. Cuddy shook her head. Rules were the best she could do right now.

_

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Yippee, this chapter is finished! I am going to write the next few chapters today and tomorrow and post them the best I can! Thanks for all the reviews so far! They make my plot bunnies smile! (And me!) Please tell me what you think and happy reading!_


	9. Walking

_I really wanted a nice scene between House and Wilson. I have never wrote Wilson into a story before this one. Actually, before this story, it was just House and the ducklings. Cuddy made her first appearance in this story, too, I realize. Huh... Anyway, I'm getting a handle on typing with a bandage, so I feel happy! Here is the story. I don't want to rush into the case (mainly because I am afraid I am going to do something wrong by mistake and someone who knows the illnesses or something is going to call me on it and I'll get really embarrassed) because I want to set the storyline in terms of the actual people and how House is slowly losing it all and he can't even see that..._

* * *

Walking

"So, she really put you on clinic duty?"

"Yeah."

"You know, clinic duty isn't that bad. I don't-"

"Stop it, Wilson. You suck at sympathy."

The two doctors were casually walking the hospital corridors, Wilson finishing with his shift, House another hour away from his own shift ending. House needed someone to complain to and Wilson was the only one at the moment who would listen to him. He had kicked the ducklings out of his office, telling them to take the white board with them. If he wasn't on the Deleyney case, there was nothing that would arise in clinic duty that would need the help of the board. Clinic duty was a waste of time, like doing a one hundred piece puzzle, knowing it's too easy for you, but being made to finish the puzzle anyway.

"Well, clinic duty will give you more free time. We all know how you hate to work."

"I don't hate work, Wilson. I hate working and having Cuddy breathing down my neck, having Foreman and Chase questioning everything I do, having Stacy right in the same building. I don't hate work. I hate the people I work with."

"I guess that excludes Cameron and myself."

"Even saying her name would get me reprimanded by Cuddy, I bet. If I whisper that name, I bet someone would turn me in. Cuddy told the other doctors to keep on eye on me, I bet. Plus, it's not like she can really hide that bruise; people have got to know by now."

Wilson stopped walking and faced House, confused.

"Cuddy has a bruise?"

"No, the other female we were talking about. You know, Wilson, thinking of the same woman in other areas of your life would do you a lot of good. Keep thinking."

"Cameron? How did she get it?"

When there was no answer, Wilson saw the guilty face House couldn't hide and dropped his jaw.

"You gave her that bruise? Gre-"

"I wasn't thinking, okay? I didn't think I grabbed her arm all that hard, but apparently she goes running to big sister Cuddy every time something goes wrong. God forbid she loses her teddy bear..."

"So, you're on clinic duty because Cuddy wants you to stay away from Cameron, who is working on the Deleyney case."

"Don't forget-"

"And to punish you."

The two men resumed their walk, the thump of House's cane on the hospital floor echoing dimly. They walked in silence for a little while, neither of them looking at one another.

"You know, Cameron isn't a little girl. She is a grown woman and she-"

"Don't start with me, Wilson... To be honest, I don't want to talk about her."

"Are you actually being honest? You have never been one to tell the truth, remember?"

"Well, I'm telling the truth now. Just don't say her name. I don't want to think about her, or Chase, or Foreman, or-"

"I get the point, I get the point. So, what do you want to talk about then?"

"Covering my clinic shift tomorrow."

_

* * *

I wanted this chapter to maybe be a little more carefree and light, to add a touch of 'fun' to it all. Wilson is the only person who can really make House smile and I can just imagine the scene in my head. I have wanted to write a House and Wilson scene, just two friends at the end of their shift, talking about the stuff that goes on... I don't know if I am going to write Stacy into the picture at all. I never really liked her, personally, but she could be useful as time goes on. I don't know..._

I like how House wants Wilson to cover clinic duty for him, even though the whole reason why House has clinic duty is because Wilson is taking over the case!

_Anyway, thanks so much for reading and be sure to drop me a review! They really help when I am writing, whether it's criticism or just a nice thing said. Thanks so much!_


	10. Silence

_Yes, another chapter is here! I am so happy that I have people reading! Yippee! Anyhow, I was a bit confused on what to do with this chapter, so I did the best I could with the ideas I had._

_I was originally going to start on a different story, but figured that I would update this one, since it's been a while! So much to write, so little time! Here we go!_

* * *

Silence

"So, House is kicked off the case and Wilson is supervising? Interesting choice."

"What, you would prefer Cuddy put you in charge?"

"No, I'm just saying that we don't work with Wilson enough to know where he is coming from in a medical, professional point of view."

"And the personal view of Wilson?"

"I hardly know the guy."

Foreman and Chase were lounging in House's office, waiting for the other two members of the team to arrive. House was on clinic duty and the office was strangely quiet. It was an odd, uncomfortable silence and both men wished the other would start talking again. They had been discussing the fact that Foreman didn't fully agree with the choice to put Wilson on the case as their leader. Wilson had no clue what the case was about until House gave him the lowdown. Foreman didn't agree that someone new should enter the case at such a critical time. They were waiting for Cameron to arrive with the results from all the scans the patient had gone through earlier that morning. So far, Wilson hadn't bothered to show up.

"Well, House should be getting off clinic duty soon and maybe he'll drop by. It's just Cameron that he has to stay away from, right?" Chase looked at his watch and then at the door. "Actually, House should be getting off duty right now."

"No, Cuddy said that House had to stay away from all of us, including the patient, for the duration of the case. It's not just Cameron the head of the hospital is trying to protect."

"I have a hard time believing that he actually hurt her. I mean, Cam is-"

"Do you really have such a hard time believing that House wouldn't grab her by the wrist and give her a good shaking? He's flying off the handle lately and that was obviously the breaking point. Cameron stayed behind and tried to get House to take the wrath out on her instead of us. But, I still don't know why she would allow House to do all of this and then turn him into Cuddy. I mean, that just doesn't sound like her, if you ask me."

"So, one of our team is a potential nut case-"

"House was already a nut case."

"Okay, one of our team is a nut case who is now forbidden from contact with us, and the other member is setting a trap for House? Why could Cameron-"

Foreman was cut off by a figure bursting in through the door. It was Wilson, jogging in and sitting down by Chase at the glass table, dropping numerous papers on the floor. Seeing the questioning looks Foreman and Chase were giving him, Wilson shrugged.

"Sorry I'm late, guys, but I just got off clinic duty."

"But House has clinic duty."

Foreman glanced over at Chase with raised eyebrows and Chase, realizing, muttered, "Oh, I see."

"Why do you do that for him, man? Why would you let him skip out on clinic duty and take over for him? He's supposed to be punished and this is his punishment: clinic duty."

"I know, Foreman, I know, but he wasn't looking very well today and I told him I would take over his shift."

Wilson shifted uneasily in his seat as he tried to arrange his files. Chase and Foreman sighed at the same time. It would have been funny if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation. Wilson was lying, he was obviously covering for House. House hadn't looked well last time they had seen him, yes, but House never looked well.

"What is the matter with him?"

"Oh, um," Wilson stuttered and didn't meet Foreman's eyes. "I'm not really sure. He's not in the hospital today, though. He's at home."

"Cameron always could tell what was going on. If-"

Chase was cut off by Cameron herself, who came through the door with Mr. Deleyney's scan results. She looked exhausted and her hair hung limp around her face, twined around her neck. All three doctors could see the dark purple and green of the bruise on Cameron's wrist and Cameron, sensing their gaze, pulled her lab jacket farther down, until she could touch the cuff with her fingers. Wilson stood and pulled out a chair for Cameron, pushing the chair in after she had sat down. Cameron, confused, but unwilling to argue with anyone at the moment on unneeded chivalry, opened the file and read out loud.

"Mr. Deleyney has cardiac arrhythmia-"

"Atrial fibrillation?"

"Yes. He also has a mild case of exophthalmos, like House said he would. The protuberance of the eyes is not bad, but we need to find out why this is happening and how we should stop it without inter- What?"

Everyone had winced at the sound of her voice saying the word "House." She looked around the table; Chase was holding his chin in his hands, face tilted downward. Foreman was biting his lip. Wilson sighed. Cameron wanted to roll her eyes and tell the men to get a grip.

"Honestly, I'm not afraid of him and you three are acting like-"

"We just didn't think you would want to talk about him."

"But, I don't want to talk about him. He was the former head of this case and, as tough as it might be for you three to deal with it, he still needs-"

"It's okay, Cameron, excuse us."

Wilson shifted his shoulders and gestured for her to continue. Cameron, giving a look to every other doctor in the room, resumed reading.

"The patient is at high risk for stasis, though, and we still are waiting on the results for the blood clots. House had suggested that the medication-"

Again, the mood in the room shifted and Cameron closed the file and crossed her arms on her chest.

"Obviously, we have something to talk about. What is there you all need to say? Do I need to leave the room? Do you have something embarrassing you don't want me to hear? What is it? We need to carry on with this case and we can't keep a patient waiting because you three have issues!"

"Cameron, Cameron, we just-"

"Don't talk to me like that, Wilson! I'm not a child!"

"It's just that... after you were hurt by him, why did you go to Cuddy? I mean, the guy is in a bad mood and you go to his office. An hour later, the staff mutters about why your shoe is broken and how House won't look at you in the eye. Then, after we pass that off as you being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he sends us off for a task and you stay behind. We come back to find you bruised and House kicked off the case."

"What point are you trying to make, Foreman?"

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but why do you keep putting yourself in these situations? If you know he is in a bad mood and he ends up hurting you, instead of staying away next time and taking yourself away from the risk, you just go right back and confront him. Cameron, you are going to get House fired if this keeps up. Cuddy doesn't want to lose him, so he just takes him away from the team!"

The room was back to that eerie silence after Foreman's outburst. Wilson was frowning and Chase's eyebrows almost met in the middle of his forehead, face crunched in disbelief. Foreman and Cameron locked eyes and neither of them looked away. They stared at one another for what felt like minutes on end, for what was actually a handful of seconds. The doctor ducked his head in embarrassment as Cameron, against her will, felt tears welling in her eyes. Her eyes glistened and shone with a fury only a woman can contain. Chase was wondering at how to escape from this situation and Foreman was wondering how to escape the room before she breathed the fire that would come from her mouth the moment he moved.

"I'm going to go and check if that scan has come in yet."

"So am I."

Foreman and Chase left the room in record time, practically running for the door, the panic on Chase's face apparent as his sweaty fingers slipped on the door handle before the two doctors left the office. Cameron sat there at the table, shaking in anger and indignation. How dare they? Wilson, who was sitting next to her, gently put an arm around her shoulder, uncertain of what to say. His hand, patting her shoulder comfortingly, said that words he couldn't find and Cameron, unable to keep it in, let the tears roll down her cheeks.

_

* * *

Poor Cameron. Foreman raises some good questions, though! Oh, I can't wait until the next chapter! But, you know, she needs to grow up a little bit. I see Cameron as a young woman barely out of college (although I know she isn't) and she still needs to learn some life lessons. She's a bit immature yet, but, compared to the level of maturity House shows, she is leaps ahead of him. But, enough of babbling about the story... I might babble about my thoughts on the story from now on, just to give the reader a sense of what I am feeling as I write the scenes and what I am going for. So, if you don't like reading about that sort of thing, skip this last italic part from now on!_

_Thanks so much for reading and please drop me a review! I can't wait to hear from you!_


	11. Illness

_Here is the next chapter for the story! Sorry it's taking me longer and longer to update. I always will update, no chapter taking more than a week to finish, but the more stories I work on, the less time I have per story! Sorry about that, but I'm trying my hardest to keep up the level of expectations, especially for this story. _

_Thanks for all the reviews so far! I really, really appreciate every single one of them! Every word counts! I don't know yet what I am going to do in terms of Cameron and her emotional issues, but I am toying with an idea... It sounds like no one really likes Cameron (although I like her because it's fun to write her into situations!) and I've always wanted to do a scene like the one running through my head, so you'll just have to keep reading and find out what I am planning! Let's go!_

* * *

Illness

House sat on the couch, Wilson across from him in an armchair. He hadn't wanted visitors, really, but appreciated Wilson's company in an odd way. The silence was unnerving, of course, and he wished he could just snap Wilson's fingers off for how many times he tapped them on his knee, but having another person in the house was nice. Except when that person wanted to talk about work.

"House, I really think that Cameron-"

"What did I say?"

"About what?"

"About talking about her."

"Nothing."

"Okay, well, I'm saying it now. Don't talk about her."

"How about Foreman?"

"No."

"How about Chase?"

"Cuddy?"

"Definite not, unless you wanted to tell horror stories. I could turn off the lights and make popcorn while you found the flashlight."

Wilson rolled his eyes.

"Look, people were asking about you today. It's not like you to take off sick."

"What, I'm not human like anyone else?"

"You don't act like a normal human being. You act like a deity for the hospital and love to make others miserable. If you are in a bad mood or not feeling well, it's naturally assumed that you want to spread as much of that unhappiness and disease as possible before you are back to your normal level of crankiness."

"Fine, I'll just go around the hospital, spreading whatever illness you tell me I have. It's a hospital, so I don't know how miserable people would be, getting treatment right there because that is what a hospital is for, but it's worth a shot. What sort of illness did you tell them I had?"

"After you called Cuddy and didn't leave an exact illness, I told everyone you had the common cold. No one believed me, I think, but it was worth a try."

"Damn, here I thought you would give me the best sort of venereal disease and tell the whole hospital I had-"

"Don't be vulgar. I had to cover for your clinic shift today, but tomorrow you are going back to work. And you'll do your job. If I have to take over the case, you'll have to pull some of your own weight. How bad would that look if I had to do your work and, while I was covering for you and your fake illnesses, my patient died from neglect?"

"Get the ducklings to take care of him. Do we really need a head of the case? Foreman can do it. Or Chase, get Chase to... never mind, that would be instant death for the patient."

Wilson shifted in his chair. There was no getting through to this man. He didn't know why he was there, exactly. He had just wanted to swing by and see if House really was ill, but now he sat here, listening to the bitterness House was spewing in every sentence.

"Chase is a smart young man. You don't give him enough credit."

House laughed shortly, a laugh with no mirth.

"Foreman is clever and knows what needs to be done without it being told to him. He is one of the most capable doctors in the hospital."

House laughed again, the laugh still sarcastic and doubtful.

"Cameron puts her heart into things. She is smart and beautiful-"

"Don't talk about her."

House didn't laugh this time, and Wilson was startled at the flash of anger in House's eyes. Wilson ducked his head and sighed. House, fed up with the conversation, stood and hobbled out of the room, never looking behind him.

"Leave now."

Wilson, almost glad for the command to exit, gathered his jacket and threw it on as he watched House walk away.

"Will you be at the hospital tomorrow?"

"Yes," came the abrupt answer, and then House stopped, his voice a little less gruff. "Thanks for coming over, Wilson. Not everyone would do that."

"No problem. Feel better soon."

Wilson shut the door behind him. He had gotten used to the mood swings House went through and it didn't exactly bother him that House basically kicked him out of his home. He knew what the 'illness' was that House was suffering from. He couldn't stand to be around the ducklings or his boss. Cameron was the problem, mainly, but how to fix that problem, Wilson didn't know.

_

* * *

Sorry is this chapter is a little short. I am trying to get a few ideas to slow down enough that I can write them out and I am trying to set the stage for something. I'm starting to like the House/Wilson talks more because then House can actually talk and mean the things he says, although he is no less sarcastic about it!_

_Thanks so much for reading and please send me a review! It means a lot! Happy reading!_


	12. Breaking Point

_My deepest apologies to those who have read the story so far and find it failing in their expectations. I took a break and looked back at the story itself and, with the help of a few people's opinions, I decided on an outline for the story to follow and everything will pick up. I am not sure how many chapters are left. I'm getting a little frustrated with this story, but that only makes me want to work harder on it. So, I am sorry for my lack of quality lately and I hope everyone continues until the end. Thank you very much._

* * *

Breaking Point

The medical team sat at the table in House's office, no one talking. Foreman had his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair, looking at the ceiling. Chase rubbed his chin with his thumb, dark circles under his eyes; he had not slept in days. Cameron was bent over the table, her face hidden in her hands, hair falling over her shoulders to rest on the tabletop. They were waiting for Wilson to come back.

The patient's condition was getting worse and there was nothing else to do. The three doctors had no permission to even start the patient on painkiller, much less any medication to stop the man from dying. The past week had been hell; House had broken the rules and worked on the case behind Cuddy's back, convinced he was right on what Mr. Deleyney had. Unfortunately for all of them, House had been wrong, for once in his life he had been wrong, and the patient was dying. Mr. Deleyney had a stroke because of the medication and had numerous blood clots throughout his body, any one of them ready to break free and reach his heart, lungs, or brain.

Cuddy, once she had found out about the accident, had burst into House's office, demanding to know where the man was, livid with fury. The three doctors had been confused, all of them wondering what had happened. When it was explained that House had been in the hospital before his regular shift and had slipped the patient the drugs that had harmed Mr. Deleyney so badly, they were shocked. Not at House's behavior, but at the fact House had been wrong. Cuddy had ordered Wilson to come with her and it didn't look good for the head of the case; his patient was dying and it wasn't his fault.

They couldn't find House.

"I told him only what he wanted to know," shouted Wilson, walking into the office, Cuddy on his heels, brandishing the file at her. "I knew it was Graves Disease, but he wouldn't listen. The tests all pointed to-"

"Who told you that you had permission to talk with House about the case? As it is, I took him off the case for recklessness!"

"I thought you took him off the case to get him away from Cameron!"

Wilson and Cuddy, in the middle of their screaming match, noticed the movement from the table as Foreman stood, and they stopped yelling.

"All of you, leave," Wilson ordered, unusually serious and intense. "Right now!"

"No, stay," snapped Cuddy as Chase rose from his chair to stand beside Foreman. "I think they have a right to know why they are all being sued!"

"We're being sued?" asked Chase, surprised, as Foreman dropped his jaw.

"Well, duh, if a rich, racist patient dies, his family is naturally going to sue every doctor who walked into the room."

House appeared in the doorway. Wilson and Cuddy, standing in the middle of the room, both of them holding files belonging to the case, set their jaw and narrowed their eyes.

"House, how dare you! I told you about the case because I trusted you!" shouted Wilson, frantic. "How could you have done that, giving the patient drugs without even consulting me?"

"You?" shouted Cuddy, "He should have reported to me! I made a mistake when I put you in charge of this case! House might be an evil bastard, but at least he told one of his zombies what he was planning and they would come running to me!"

Foreman and Chase jumped into the fray, Chase's voice deadly quiet as he spoke to Cuddy.

"We are not zombies," he said, "We are doctors and right now, we can't even do our job. Every second we are here, arguing like high school students, we can't treat Mr. Deleyney for his illness, and every second he is not getting what he needs to survive, he slips closer and closer to death!"

"Oh, bravo, Chase," snapped House, snapping his fingers. "I'm amazed how long that took for a mind like his!"

"I've had enough of that, House!" Chase warned, taking a step toward his boss.

"Had enough of what? What are you going to do, hit me?"

Chase, with one more step, punched House in the face. There was a crack as House went reeling backward into the wall, his nose streaming blood. He slid down the wall as Wilson and Foreman grabbed Chase by his elbows, holding him back. That was not needed because Chase, his hand covered in House's blood, stood still, holding his breath. What did he just do?

"Call security," Cuddy snapped, "Get Chase out of here." Foreman nodded as he held Chase's arm as Wilson picked up the phone and paged the guards, who arrived within a minute. The two guards took Chase out of the room and, seeing what he had done to House, zip-tied his hands together in front of him. There was no fight left in Chase, however, and it wasn't needed; he went quietly with the guards, head held low.

"You," Cuddy yelled at Wilson, "What does Mr. Deleyney have?"

"Graves Disease," snapped Wilson, grabbing his file from the desk. "He has a case of hyperthyroidism and has blood clots because of it. There is an excess of thyroxine-"

"Don't rattle off whatever you wrote in the file! Just start the patient on radioactive iodine."

Wilson, casting a glance of hatred at both House and Cuddy, stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. Foreman was kneeling by House, who was trying to stop the bleeding from his nose with his shirt. House was shaking his head no, mumbling something about Wilson being incorrect. They couldn't hear what he was saying, though, for the shirt covered his mouth and was already dripping with blood. House's nose could have been broken, that was the severity of the punch, but House was trying to stand up, finding it difficult to stand without his cane and his sleeve over his nose. Cuddy walked up to him and Foreman stood, getting out of the way, retreating back to the table, leaving the two doctors alone on the other side of the room. Cuddy's gaze was fire and when she spoke, it was so soft everyone in the room had to strain to make out what she had said. She towered over House, who was still on the floor against the wall, abandoning the idea of trying to stand.

"If the patient dies, your license will be revoked to practice medicine. Even if the patient doesn't die, you are fired from this hospital and I will let every hospital you apply to know what you did. Because of your arrogance, you are killing a man whose family could cost me the hospital. I don't know how Stacy is going to save your ass from ending up in the poor house, but that is only if I decide to let her give you legal advice if the family sues. If they sue, I want you to tell Chase, Wilson, Foreman, and Cameron why they owe money, more than any one of them can afford, for the negligence of Mr. Deleyney's illness."

House tried to speak, but Cuddy's voice grew louder so there was no doubt to what it was she said.

"I don't care what you thought he had. I don't care what you think we should do. If Wilson says he has Graves Disease, then Mr. Deleyney has Graves Disease. If there is extra thyroxine in his blood, nothing you say will change that fact. I hope you enjoy your last day in the hospital, House. Now go and clean up before you bleed all over the floor."

Cuddy threw the other two doctors a glance of anger before leaving. She stopped in the door and looked at Cameron, who had never moved during this entire ordeal. Her hair still fell over the table and her face was hidden, her wrists stark white under the lights of the room. Stark white, both of them, and Cuddy frowned. A bruise wouldn't go away within a matter of a week, not the sort of bruise Cameron had showed to her in the office just a few days ago. But, there was no bruise, not a trace of one.

"Cameron," Cuddy said, voice strained. "Why is there no bruise?"

Cameron didn't look up and her shoulders started to shake with silent sobs. Cuddy, disgusted with Cameron almost as much as she had been with House, snarled and walked out the door, leaving blood, anger, and tears in her wake.

_

* * *

This will all start to make sense soon. I can't tell you what is going on yet in this author note because that would ruin the next few chapters, but there are lies and betrayals going around that is going to cost everyone something dear to them. These situations might not seem real; why would doctors stand around and fight, verbally and physically, when there are patients who are dying? But, it doesn't have to seem real, does it? I could see this happening because it's so extreme, and I am taking the characters and heightening everything they stand for and what they do in this story._

_Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you. Please, no flames. I never thought I would have to worry about getting reviews that say this is awful, but I am starting to think that not many people will like me when this story is over. This is a dramatic story and I enjoy working on it, but it makes me very upset to hear someone say something awful that isn't a critique. I don't mind if you have something to say that is constructive and slightly coarse, but just don't flat out say you hate it and offer nothing else. (I say this humbly). Thank you again for reading and I will update later._


	13. Foreman's Confessions

_I was thinking about this story this morning, so I decided to sit down and type. I've been ignoring the paper and pen lately: the past few chapters have been done straight from my mind to the keyboard instead of the pen, so maybe thats why I'm nervous about the chapters. If I write it all out first, then maybe I get aquainted to the story... something like that..._

_I'm shocked Hugh Laurie isn't nominated for best actor in a drama series for the Primetime Awards! I was rooting for him, but he wasn't in the finals. So, here is to the actor who makes House come to life! **clap clap clap** Onward!_

* * *

Foreman's Confessions

That night was the longest in all of their lives. Any sleep they caught was minimal and did nothing but make the doctors ache for more sleep. The same thoughts were buzzing through their heads, generally, all of them living with the guilt of their own secrets.

* * *

Foreman sat at his own kitchen table, the smooth glass reminding him of the table in House's office where everyone would gather to discuss the cases that came in, the table in the hospital where everything came together to find a cure for mysterious illnesses. They all had to work together at that point, to save a life. House's brilliance, Chase's perseverence, Cameron's patience, and his own sense of duty to the people who needed him. Now, there was a man dying because of the combination of mistakes they had all caused. There were secrets they all held, Foreman knew, but his own was the one that plauged him the most. He didn't care about House or Chase or Cameron; he cared about his own wellbeing. How was he going to afford to pay if the family sued and every single one of them had their money taken away?

If something were to happen, Foreman knew he wouldn't be able to stay at the hospital. If Mr. Deleyney died and he was sued, how could he show his face to the rest of the staff? How could he treat his patients without remembering his mistake every single time he made a diagnosis? He wouldn't be able to practice medicne with a clear councious. House was already fired, Cuddy had made that clear enough that afternoon, and he wouldn't willingly be under Cuddy's direct supervison for the rest of his life.

Because he had lost the blood sample. He didn't even know what he had done with it when Mr. Deleyney was in cardiac arrest. Foreman couldn't even recall placing the syringe on a table or handing it to someone else. He rememberd taking the blood and then panicing as the alarms went off, then sat in House's office, not even recalling the blood sample until House asked where it was. There was a biohazard loose in the hospital and it was his fault. It was all his fault. The evidence against House was that he gave the medication to Mr. Deleyney through an injection found on the patient's right arm. Perhaps House had found the blood sample where Foreman put it down and forgot about it and mingled the blood and the medicine, the blood coming from the sample. House couldn't very well get his hands on another sample; he was kicked off the case and taking a sample would violate the terms of his agreement with Cuddy.

Because of Foreman, House had the blood to run the tests that showed him what he had wanted to see, not what was really there. Because he had the sample, he was able to determine what was wrong and fix it. But House had been wrong and Foreman was responsible for the lost sample.

_

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Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think. I am going to have a separate chapter for each of the characters, every character explaining what they had done wrong to cause everything to snowball into the problem they have on their hands now. I was just going to write one chapter will all of the character's thoughts in it, but, when I was done, it was so long I found my attention span waning and I was the author! So, I think I like the format I'm using now for this part of the story, at least! Thanks very much and please review!_


	14. Cameron's Confessions

_Here is Cameron's chapter. I was wondering how to go about this, but I have a plan brewing in my mind! I really want to show how immature Cameron is (I like Cameron, and I've never made her out to be so 'young' before now, but I am guilty of torturing my characters, as awful as that sounds). So, here it is..._

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Cameron's Confessions

Cameron sat at home, laying in her bed, the lamps on, trying to drive away the darkness. It was winter in the world much as it was winter in her heart, her mind spinning. She couldn't stand herself. How could she have been so foolish? That bruise was fake. She had applied it in the woman's bathroom, using eyeshadow she found in her purse, makeup she never wore except on her wrist. She had meant to scare House, she had wanted to show him what he did to her. He had hurt her, yes, but the small bruise he had caused lasted no more than a day or two. She had made it larger with makeup because she could stand physically hurting herself to cause the bruise; she had tried, but the pain she was putting herself through was too much and Cameron had taken the wimp way out.

All she was going to do was show House how much he had hurt her and back up what she had told him after he had left her go. He was out of control and hurting her was the last straw. But, Cameron hurt emotionally rather than physically. Love makes people do crazy things. She loved House, almost as much as she had loved her former husband. House's pain was something she wanted to banish. She didn't want him to suffer any longer and the agony he showed to the world in the form of sarcasm and raised tones was what Cameron wanted to take away. She would show him that she could withstand the pain he gave her and that he would eventually come to love her for it, for being the only person there for him during his worst times.

Chase had seen the bruise, however, and told Cuddy for her. The talk she had with Cuddy during lunch, wearing the borrowed shoes, had been nice. Cameron had enjoyed the company, as nervous as she was. Cuddy had thought then that House was hurting her when that wasn't true. Once Chase blabbed to Cuddy that she had a bruise on her wrist from House, conclusions had been made and lines had been drawn. Cameron remembered her embarrassment at being called into the director's office, trying to smear as much of the makeup off as she could before Cuddy asked to see it. That had just made it worse, however, and Cameron, too weak to tell the truth and lose the respect of Cuddy, had lied.

If she would have known then what she knew now, Cameron told herself, she would have told the truth. She wouldn't have tried to lay the pity trap for House, to make him love her because of what he had done to her; she wouldn't have acted like such a high school girl. Chase really had the best intention to tell Cuddy, but she wished he didn't care so much. If he hated her as much as House, none of this would have happened. The fear and pain she had felt when Cuddy saw Cameron had forgotten to put the bruise on her wrist was almost too much for Cameron to bear and she felt tears come to her eyes again. But there had been a release, a sigh of relief that someone knew besides her.

Grabbing a pen and paper from the nightstand drawer, she started to compose two letters: one to House, one to Cuddy. She wrote them both with meticulous care, placing them in two envelopes with the names of their respective doctors on the front. Placing them in her purse, Cameron switched off the lights and tried to find sleep.

None came; the guilt was too strong.

_

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Please read and review! Tell me what you think about this different angle on things! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you continue with the story. The end is in sight, although it will take a handful of chapters still until I get to the finale. Thanks!_


	15. Chase's Confessions

_Here is chapter fifteen. Wow, chapter fifteen already? This story just seems to fly by to me... I have written longer stories, but this one could give them a run for their money! Here we go!_

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Chase's Confessions

He sat on the floor of his darkened bedroom, leaning against the bed, the gun in his hands. He had bought it for protection after one of his friends had been robbed while he was still in college and kept it through the years, the gun never having been loaded until now. Chase thought he must be going crazy. This wasn't like him, not at all. He had never raised his hand in violence before, but punched House so hard in the face that his knuckles were bruised. These were real bruises, not the fake bruise Cameron had put on to fool House. He had heard about it from Cuddy as she stormed past, muttering under her breath when he had come back to the hospital. The guards had taken him from the hospital and Stacy had to come down to the jail later on to free him. She paid for his bail and swore at him the entire ride from the jail to the hospital, making him wish he was almost back in his holding cell. He had only been there for an hour after the incident, Cuddy sending Stacy to get him after she found out that the guards had not just held him at the hospital but had called the police to cart him away.

House told the main office to let anyone who needed to know that he wasn't pressing charges against Chase and that he would be back tomorrow to pick up his things.

Chase turned the gun over in his hands, the little handgun gleaming ominously from the light coming from the the other room. He wasn't going to hurt himself. He was going to take it with him tomorrow to work and keep it in his office all day. He doubted House would attempt revenge for the accident that day, but House was starting to lose his mind, it seemed. Anything was possible.

He was so disappointed: with Cameron, for lying and causing this mess; with Foreman, for never confronting the problems that were not medical related; with Wilson, for being so ignorant; with Cuddy, for putting Wilson on the case; with House, for being such an awful excuse for a human being. And with himself, he was disappointed with himself. This wasn't the way life was supposed to be. He was still young, he still had a future ahead of him. Now, he was going to have to live his entire life with the fact he had taken a gun to work to protect himself from his boss. House had always treated him awful, making rude jokes at his expense. That wasn't right. He couldn't keep doing that.

Chase leaned his head back against the bed, the gun falling to the floor beside him as his hand slipped off his lap. He was so tired, so tired... he just wanted sleep. Damn Cameron, he thought, damn her to hell. She had lied about the bruise and he, trying to be a good person, had reported it to Cuddy, expecting nothing to come of it than a reprimand for House. He had only wanted to protect her and her stupid feelings for House. The girl was infatuated with him, but he would have nothing to do with her. It was her problems that caused this: it had been a chain effect. No matter what Foreman and he himself had told her, no matter how many times they asked her to stay away from him when he was in a bad mood, she ignored them and got herself hurt.

Now, everything was chaotic. Today had been the last step to the end of everything they knew. Tomorrow would be the peak of everything. Tomorrow was when things would come together for good or bad and nothing would stay the same. Chase felt the cold of the gun under his hand.

He hoped he would never have to use it.

_

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I am not suggesting Chase was going to commit suicide or anything. That was not intended, so if this was a shocker, I didn't want it to be horrifying... I wanted it to be scary, yes, because here is Chase, usually so level headed, contemplating his life falling apart. House pushed him to this point with his cynical personality and Chase has snapped. Please tell me what you think and thank you for reading!_


	16. Stacy's Confessions

_I was going to take a little break from the story for a while to do some more publishing work (finding a publisher for an original fantasy is tough! Gah!) and I couldn't handle another unsolicited submission notice, so I decided to work some more. That probably means bad news for the poor characters; must they always bear the brunt of what I feel? Oh, well, sometimes that makes for good reading! Here we are with another chapter!_

_I didn't know if I really wanted Stacy to have a confession because I never really talked about her any more than in a passing sentence. But, I thought, what the heck! But, it's not going to be a very long chapter..._

_(Oh, in Cameron's Confessions chapter, it was supposed to be "couldn't," not "could" when she was talking about her bruise... sorry for the mistake; I was going to go and fix it on my own computer and then resubmit it, but I can't find the original document for some reason... I'll find it and fix it soon, hopefully...) Onward!_

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Stacy's Confessions

She sat in her office, well after she was allowed to leave for the night, going through paperwork. She estimated that, according to how much Mr. Deleyney was worth in terms of his businesses and personal wealth, the family was going to sue for millions and millions, money the hospital couldn't afford. The hospital would be sued, said Mr. Deleyney's eldest son when he had stormed into Stacy's office, if his father died and, even if he didn't die, there was still a chance the family would sue anyway. So, as Stacy saw it, they would either pay for the death, or they would hang on the edge of a knife, waiting for the family to come to a decision on how much they wanted to squeeze out of the doctors for malpractice.

Damn it, Stacy thought. House just had to go and run his little experiment on one of the richest business men that had ever been treated at the hospital. House had to pick the perfect family to sue the hospital and the doctors that had worked on the case. He had to risk the lives of everyone around him. House didn't even care, Stacy bet, tugging at her hair.

Her eyes hurt from reading the paperwork. Her mind hurt from trying to reason everything out. Her body hurt from stress. Stacy turned off the desk lamp and grabbed her purse, trying to forget the eight digit number that glared at her from the top paper on the stack of folders. She almost walked out the door and ignored it, but turned around and, picking up the paper, slammed it on the desk as hard as she could.

She felt a nail crack and her hand started to sting. Stacy was almost satisfied with her action, but really wished she could just crumple up the paper and burn it, or throw it in a bowl of water, or make House eat it. But, she knew that if she ruined the paperwork and the family found out, that would make things worse. For now, she had to play along and be the lawyer that saved the day. Hopefully.

After bailing Chase out of jail, Stacy wanted to tell him to punch House again, just to kick the lion while he was down, but instead she swore at him the entire ride back so he could get his car from the parking lot. Of course, there was going to be a probationary period for the doctor, but luckily nothing Chase did would cost them money at the moment.

That was all Stacy wanted to care about at the moment: the true cost of money and, if the patient would die, how much money would compensate for the loss to make the family happy. She had the rough estimate, but how much would it really be? How much money would it take until Cuddy finally gave Stacy permission to attack House like Chase had done? She already knew House was fired and that he was coming back the next day to get his things.

Stacy closed her office door behind her, turning her back on the paperwork that basically said they would lose the hospital.

_

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Ouch. I like this chapter because, even though there is talk about suing, seeing everything like Stacy shows how much financial trouble House really caused. Please tell me what you think! I really appreciate all the comments so far! Thanks for reading and I'll update soon!_


	17. Wilson's Confessions

_I was wondering what to do after the last chapter: Wilson or Cuddy? Then, I though, "House is going to be the last (of course!), so I might as well have Cuddy go before him, so that leaves Wilson before her!" (Just a glimpse into the rationality I use with this story.) Most of these ideas come from random things I see and hear. I'll see an ad on TV and think about it and think and think some more and then I realize that I really like what I am thinking about. Then I put it into whatever story I think suits it best! (Another glimpse into the author's mind!) Well, you don't want to hear me babbling, so I'll continue! Here we go!_

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Wilson's Confessions

He sat alone in his house, a drink in hand. There was no way he was going back to work tomorrow without being a tad hungover. It made life bearable, besides the pounding headache one usually experienced. Nothing a little painkiller wouldn't take care of, though, Wilson told himself calmly, downing the rest of the drink and staring at the wall. He was starting to sound like House, he thought, and wondered if he even had painkiller in the house. Probably not...

He had the radio on, just background noise, a droning sound just soft enough that Wilson couldn't make out what the singer was crooning about. He didn't like to sit in silence. He could hear Cuddy's voice in his mind, saying all those things again and again and again. Wilson wished he would have turned the radio louder, but didn't want to get up. He also wished he had another drink, but not badly enough to stand up from his armchair.

He was in so much trouble. He was in charge of the three doctors that had formerly worked under House's direction; no matter what they did, it would reflect on him and he would have to shoulder the blame. Cameron lied. It was his fault. Chase fought. It was his fault. Foreman lost hazardous material House used against the patient. It was his fault. Wilson didn't know if it was exactly his fault for what House did directly, without the help of the team, but he did know that he left the files on House's desk, right where the man could pick them up and read them. That was Wilson's fault.

Patient information was supposed to be confidential, between the patient and the doctors who worked directly on the case. House had been kicked off the case and Wilson had left the files there anyway. What was he thinking? Apparently, he hadn't been thinking at all. Since he was assigned the case, Wilson felt he was slipping more and more, making mistakes he wouldn't normally make.

He had been House's friend for a long time, now, and had never been more furious with him than how he felt now. House had taken the trust Wilson and the others gave him and shot it, killing it dead. House truly didn't care about anyone else but himself, Wilson was starting to believe. Now, Wilson was in the same boat the other doctors were, holding onto a wish that the patient wouldn't die because of House's mistake. House always had to be right. He didn't care who he hurt, Wilson thought bitterly, lifting his glass to his mouth before remembering there was nothing left. House had wanted to be right and he took a risk. That risk was not in their favor and now...

Wilson sighed as he got up to pour himself another drink. He hated House right now and, if he really was sued along with the hospital and the rest of the team, he would hate him forever.

_

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Poor Wilson. He really doesn't like House now. I think that, like how Chase finally snapped at being called all those names and being insulted and punched House, Wilson is finally snapping because off all the wasted time and effort trying to keep House under control. Friendship will only go so far (I had a fight with a friend today, so maybe this is a reflection on what went on.. but would I be House or Wilson in this case? Well, I don't drink (considering it's illegal, anyway)... ) Anyway, please read and review! Thanks!_


	18. Cuddy's Confessions

_Sorry for not updating as soon as I usually do: after years and years of 4 channels coming in on the TV, we finally have satellite TV and it's great! I'm not a normally a TV junkie, House being one of a handful of shows I watch on a regular basis, but I like that I can actually see the screen instead of everything being so snowy all the time! So, I broke away from the movie I was watching (Spirited Away, a great Japanese film I just finished) and wanted to write Cuddy's Chapter! Here we go!_

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Cuddy's Confessions

She sat at her desk, not knowing what else to do. She knew Stacy was in the building before, but that must have been hours ago, and Cuddy yawned, exhausted. Yet, she knew that, if she went home, she wouldn't get any sleep and might miss something at the hospital. Between the legal work and paper work and phone calls, Cuddy wondered how long she was going to be trapped in her office until everything was done. There would be no more phone calls; if she called anywhere at this hour, she wouldn't get an answer or would be laughed at.

Cuddy had told the doctors to leave and not come back until the normal shift the next day. If something happened to Mr. Deleyney, either she or another doctor would deal with whatever came up. There was no way Cameron, Chase, Foreman, House, or Wilson would touch that man ever again. Cuddy could barely look the family in the eye as she checked up on the patient regularly, once every hour. The eldest son shot daggers into her every time she walked into the room, and the wife could do nothing but weep silently, holding her husband's hand. The two daughters and the younger boy, both older teenagers, sat in the corners of the room, sleeping, waiting for something to happen.

This family was just like any other family, Cuddy thought as she checked the clock and realized there were five more minutes to the hour and she would have to go back there again. She hated going into that room. But, she was responsible for Mr. Deleyney's wellbeing from this point on and it was her duty to look them in the eye and tell them the truth: Mr. Deleyney was not getting any better. The medicine House had combined with the blood sample he had found was the wrong medicine, obviously, but the blood itself was tainted. Cuddy wondered how long the time frame had been between when Foreman had lost the sample and when House had found it. House either didn't think about the bacteria that formed in blood when it was stagnant and lukewarm or ignored it. Cuddy had started Mr. Deleyney on everything she could think of, to treat possible sepsis to fungal infection, everything administrated in small doses, tests to see how the medicine reacted. Nothing had worked and Cuddy was running out of ideas.

Cuddy felt physically sick as she stood and grabbed her lab jacket from a nearby chair. She was so exhausted she could barely drag herself out the door. Going from the darkened office to the brightly lit hallway brought tears to her eyes and Cuddy wiped them away, ignoring the looks of concern from the rest of the staff. She got on the elevator with a nurse heading to the same floor and the nurse looked very uncomfortable being with Cuddy. Everyone had heard about the scene in Dr. House's office that afternoon; rumors were flying everywhere. As Cuddy wiped her eyes and sighed, the nurse laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. The hospital director, to her surprise, felt more tears come and fall down her cheeks. She was crying.

If only there was a way to turn back time, Cuddy thought, clenching her fists over the cuffs of her lab jacket. She would never have let House on the Deleyney case. She would never have trusted Cameron. She never would have given Wilson the case. She would have sent Chase and Foreman to another medical team. Cuddy would have split the entire group up, the smartest group of doctors she had seen in all her years of being in the medical field.

The smartest group of doctors was costing her everything. She had not expected this from them, not at all. They were so bright they were all blinded by their brilliance and walking around blind was sure to cause a fall. They had all fallen from grace in Cuddy's eyes as she smiled grimly at the nurse and got off the elevator. She walked into the patient's room again, facing the those who were afraid of losing their loved one.

The sight was almost more than Cuddy could bear.

_

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I wanted her to be very emotional in this chapter, but not out of control, like Cameron or Chase. Not so hollow, like Wilson felt, and not so angry like Foreman or Stacy. I wanted Cuddy to have her own sort of emotion in this chapter and I hope I caught it! Please tell me what you think! Thanks for all the reviews so far! House is next! Thanks!_


	19. House's Confessions

_Wow, now it's time for House's chapter! The long awaited House chapter! If you are still confused after this, everything will be made crystal clear in a few more chapters, howeverlong the story lasts after this.All these confessions have just flown by, I feel (well, except Wilson's chapter... that one had about two different drafts before I settled on the one I posted). Last night, I found myself working the ending of the story out in my mind, figuring out different titles and situations. Warning: I am going to make it kind of angst-y, kind of being an understatement of sorts... _

_Here we go!_

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House's Confessions

He sat in the dark at the piano, his bottle of painkiller resting on the top of the piano. It had been so many days since he had taken his medication. He almost couldn't taste the bitterness of the pills on his tongue, that bitterness that took away the pain as much as it promised to make it worse. He hadn't taken his pain medication for a week and his leg throbbed unmercifully. House didn't know why he had decided that the time to withdraw from the medication was right at the beginning of Mr. Deleyney's case.

The painkillers were the scabs that covered a thousand wounds, most of them self inflicted. It was his fault things were going wrong. All his fault... He should have helped Cameron up when she tripped and fell in his office, but he just walked away. He had been so frustrated with the world and Cameron had crossed his path. He should have held his temper in check when he was getting more and more frustrated at his motives being questioned and not grabbed Cameron's wrist. He had known he had not put enough pressure on her wrist to cause a major bruise, but he had not known that Cameron would paint the wrist in eye makeup and that Chase couldn't keep his mouth shut when it came to the benefit of dear Cameron.

He should have done something than marvel at the flowers in Mr. Deleyney's room when the patient had the cardiac episode; instead he had stood there like an idiot. If he would have gotten involved, Foreman wouldn't have lost the blood sample. If Foreman wouldn't have lost the blood sample, House wouldn't have found it, stuck behind the bedside table in Mr. Deleyney's room. He had known that the blood might not be safe to use, but had figured that the medicine he had put with the blood in the lab room would have killed off anything that was growing, contaminating the blood.

What had he been thinking, combining the medication with the blood? He would have been better off just taking a new blood sample and risk being caught. After all, if he had to give Mr. Deleyney the shot later, what was the point of risking-

House shook his head as his thoughts wandered as he looked at the bottle. His fingers tried to pick out a tune on the keyboard, but the chords sounded wrong, the notes harsh and too loud. His leg hurt even more as his concentration on the piano was doing nothing to help the situation at hand and House pounded his fist on the keys, the dull thump of the keys producing screams of anguish, the notes combining to make one hideous sound. House swore under his breath. If he couldn't scream in agony, why could the music? But, as he took his hands away from the piano to fold them in his lap, House realized that his actions had caused that consequence: just like his actions had caused the consequences at the hospital.

He was now fired. He had no job. He was going in tomorrow- No, he thought, looking at the clock, in a few hours, to go and clean out his office. He wouldn't ever see Chase or Foreman again, he wouldn't see Cuddy or Stacy. He would still talk with Wilson but knew that they would eventually grow apart. And Cameron. He wouldn't ever see her again. He almost preferred that he never see her again. She had a crush on him, he knew. Crush wasn't the right word, obsession was more like it. He recognized the weakness that came about her when he walked into the room, the self sacrifice she performed every time he was in trouble. The fact she had faked the large bruise was unusually out of character for Cameron, but House knew she was going to guilt him into apologizing; what had she expected, though? That once he saw the bruise, he would love her instantly, like it was some sort of spell she cast? That he would grab her and take her home that instant, to be his as long as he wanted? House sneered. He wouldn't love her. He could never love her. She was a wimp. She was weak. She wasn't the woman House wanted. He wouldn't ever want another woman after the failed marriage with Stacy. He loved neither of them.

He had wanted to live a life without painkillers, to live a life where he wasn't searching for the pill bottle every other hour, to grab a handful of medication and swallow the bunch all at once. House thought he could break the control his leg had over him. How foolish he had been. Because he couldn't stand the withdrawal symptoms, because of his own poor timing, he had acted irrational and cost himself his job. How foolish he was to think he could take control of his life. He was always in control at the hospital, over his team, his brilliance putting him one step above all others. But now, he didn't have that. Not any more.

He gave up the struggle with his own conscience and snatched the pill bottle from the piano top, grabbing a handful of the medication and swallowing it. House shook his head and shut his eyes, letting the bitterness the pills brought wash over him, feeling the bitterness the pills destroyed wash away. He was exchanging one thing for the other. In life, House knew, you couldn't have all you wanted that was good for you, but you could always have excess of the things that killed you.

* * *

Mr. Deleyney died later that night, his last breath taken while Cuddy was in the room. The wife cried, the younger children cried, but the eldest son remained calm and cold. There was now some unfinished business between him and the doctor that had caused all of this, the doctor who had killed his father._

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I hope this was okay! I like this angle on House... I was watching an episode last night just to watch how he reacted to things and I realized that he wasn't really as gruff as he is made out to be; there are a lot of flaws in the marble surface he shows to the rest of the world, little glimpses of weakness that isn't normally found in the stories about House. It's all alright, though! I think I am babbling again..._

_Please read and review! I love it when people tell me what they think about a story! Thanks so much for reading and the last few chapters are coming up very soon!_


	20. Falling Apart

_Hello! I was wondering if I should write and post today or not, being as I am going to be away from a computer all day tomorrow, and I thought, "If I were a reader, would I like it if my story was on break because the author was gone?" No, was the answer; so, from an author to her readers, I am presenting the twentieth chapter of the story!_

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Falling Apart

Foreman sat in his office with his head in his hands. He had gotten the message that morning about Mr. Deleyney's death, Cuddy calling him up at four in the morning to let him know. Her voice had been oddly calm on the phone as she told him the family had decided to sue the hospital and the doctors for as much as they could get. When she told him the sum, Foreman had gasped. He had figured out how much his house was worth, his possessions, anything that could be of value after he had gotten off the phone with Cuddy, and he was nowhere near the amount he was being sued for.

Foreman could hardly believe it. He was being sued. He was going to lose his house, his dignity, maybe even his job. Foreman picked his head up and watched House limp down the hallway, balancing a box in one hand. Cuddy had forbidden anyone to help him; any doctor assisting Dr. House would be brought before the hospital director herself. House was heading to the parking lot, one of many, many boxes he had to bring home with him going into the trunk of a borrowed car.

He sighed and decided that looking out the window was his best option. The mere sight of House made his gut twist and his head hurt.

* * *

Cameron sat in the cafeteria, her purse in her lap as she sipped the small coffee she had bought. No one sat with her at the small table, passing staff members either ignoring her or giving her looks that mingled pity and disgust at the same time. The two letters peeked out at her from her purse, the letter to Cuddy in an orange envelope, the letter to House in a light purple envelope. She figured that she should go and deliver them. Cuddy had called her that morning, letting her know the patient had died and she was being sued. None of the doctors were allowed to treat any patient or have clinic duty. They were to show up at the hospital and sit there, waiting for anything that might come about as a result of the death.

Sick of the noise in the cafeteria and wanting to put the purse in her office before she lost all courage and ripped the letters up, Cameron got up and threw away the rest of her coffee. It hadn't helped wake her from her dream state one bit.

* * *

Chase, with a shaking hand, put the gun into the desk drawer in his own office. He had smuggled it in as planned and felt so awful inside that he couldn't think properly. There was nothing for him to do but wait. Cuddy had called him that morning, giving him the news. He had cried, he was man enough to admit, the sobs shaking him, his fingers twitching so hard he had to put the gun down at risk of shooting himself.

He saw Cameron pass by and ran to the door, whipping it open and grabbing Cameron's arm. Cameron, startled until she realized it was Chase, tried to pull away, but Chase wouldn't let go. She had caused some of this, yes, and because he had cared too much about her to keep his mouth shut, he had told Cuddy about the bruise he had glimpsed in passing and now they were all in trouble.

He took her in his arms, the purse she held falling to the floor with a thump as she started to sob on his shoulder, the tears wetting the lab jacket Chase wore. He could feel her shuddering breaths and felt his own eyes well up in tears. What had they done? What were they going to do? He thought of that gun in his drawer, his mind whirling, his vision blurry. Never mind the people who now stood gawking at them in the corridor. They had to understand that the two doctors were about to lose everything- No, they had lost everything already.

The eldest son of the patient who had died was one of the crowd. He had been watching Dr. Chase for the longest time, following the young man to his office. He had seen Chase put the gun in the desk drawer.

_

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Sorry if this chapter was a little slow. I am building to something that will happen in the next chapter with a lot of dialog and a lot of action, so this next chapter is going to be a mind blower, I promise you! Please tell me what you think and keep reading! I will be pleased to present you with the next chapter either late, late tonight or the day after tomorrow, depending on what time I am leaving (I am taking a small trip!) and what time I get back. If I don't post tonight, then sorry for the delay! Just think of it as more time for me to prepare an extraordinary chapter for you! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! (p.s. I'm not suggesting a relationship between Chase and Cameron, in regards to that last little bit!)_


	21. Falling Snow

_Here is the big, explosive chapter for those of you who have been faithfully reading this story! Sorry it took me a day or two to get to this chapter after the last; I had a great trip! I was mulling this chapter over on the ride home and was wondering the right way to go about this, but there really is no wrong way, I decided. It all depends on what angle I want to go from. So, this is what I decided! Onward! _

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Falling Snow

House's back hurt as he bent over to put the box in the trunk of the car. He stiffened and straightened inch by inch until he heard a snap; pain flooded his nerves and then there was a release. House sighed. He still had four more boxes of stuff waiting for him in his office. Cuddy was a monster for not letting anyone assist him in moving out of the hospital, knowing the cripple would have a hard time. Well, thought House bitterly, what if this cripple were to slip and fall and hurt himself and sue her?

The doctor realized the foolishness he was telling himself and turned from the car to start another climb to his office and many more corridors to navigate with one hand on a box. It was freezing outside. The snow was coming down in little more than wisps of frost; autumn had officially ended. This was not the first snowfall but it was the first one House had been in for the year. He made a mental note to find a spare jacket in the boxes; he knew he had packed one away.

"House, get a coat on, you're going to freeze."

House was startled to find Foreman and Wilson coming up to him, each holding a box. Neither of them were smiling, but they moved past House and placed the boxes in the rest of the space in the trunk.

"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning, displeasure in his voice. "Cuddy is going to hang you with your own neckties if she finds you helping me. Now go away."

"We're not leaving you out here in the cold to battle with-"

"What does it matter?" House cried, frustrated. Why couldn't these idiots see that he just wanted to be left alone, to leave without having to battle his own emotions in front of others. Wilson, who knew House better than most, saw this look and grimaced.

"You know, House, you got yourself fired and all of us in trouble-" Wilson started, but House cut him off.

"What? You don't have a part to play in this, or Foreman, or Chase?"

"House, listen for once. Instead of talking, listen."

Wilson took control of the situation. He wasn't going to let House walk away from this, like he had walked away from everything he didn't want to deal with.

"We know that you haven't been taking your painkiller and that can make bad problems worse. You've reached the point where you can't function properly without those damn pills and you chose now, in the middle of all this mess, to detox?"

"Not in the middle, at the beginning of all this mess. Get it right, Wilson, or don't talk at all."

"You can't be who you were. You just have to be who you are!" Wilson's voice was raised so that it traveled the length of the parking lot, voice choked with emotion. House didn't roll his eyes, or make a smart comeback. He just stared at Wilson, and Wilson stared right back.

"What do you think is going on inside, Wilson," House muttered, uncertainty creeping into his voice, breathing ragged. "How do you think it feels to lose your job, to never see your staff again, for your team to disband? How do you think it feels to live with unbearable pain every day, but still be willing to toss the pills for the sake of those I work with? How do you think it feels to be so wrong it's deadly?"

The snow fell around the three doctors, not even a wind to stir the rest of the world into action after those words.

"House!"

A voice called to him across the parking lot and House looked over Wilson's shoulder, the other two doctors turning around to see who the voice belonged to.

Cameron came running through the snow, her hair flying behind her, lab coat casting a billowing cloud of white around her legs. She held an envelope in her hands, a lavender envelope, and there were tears running down her face. Chase was right behind her, calling after her.

"House," she said, crying, stopping at his side and clinging to his sleeve. "You can't go yet. I have to tell you something! You just can't go yet!"

"What do you think you are doing?" asked Foreman, looking to Chase for an explanation. Chase shrugged his shoulders.

"Cameron, what is going on?" House asked calmly, looking at her closely. She was in an obvious state of distress, circles under her eyes, skin almost as pale as the snow.

"There you are," said a man's voice.

Everything seemed to stop as the doctors turned and saw Mr. Deleyney's eldest son raise the gun he had taken from Chase's desk and point it straight at House.

Foreman and Wilson ducked, on their elbows in the snow; Chase backed up against a car; Cameron and House stood where they were, unable to move for the shock of it all.

The gun went off, the crack splitting the air, disturbing the silent fall of snow. House felt something hit him and, reaching to where the pressure had been in his abdomen, he felt blood. The man with the gun ran, throwing the gun to the ground. Foreman stood and ran to the fallen weapon, picking it up and shooting after the man. None of the bullets hit their target and the man disappeared behind the hospital and there was the faint sound of a car starting and wheels screeching.

There was no sound after that, everyone staring in shock at House. Foreman, seeing House, dropped the gun before looking at his own hands. Wilson gasped, unable to get off the ground, afraid that, once he moved, he would realize this wasn't a dream. Chase could only stare in horror, tears welling in his eyes.

House felt a limp form falling and he caught it, unaware of what it was until he looked down. Cameron's face was turned up, her eyes shut, her body powerless. It was not his own blood, House realized, but Cameron's. What force he had felt was her hitting him as the bullet went into her body.

Doctor's rushed out of the hospital, a stretcher rolled out the doors. Nurses and doctor's alike ran to House, who still held the limp form of Cameron in his arms, blood covering his hands. A group of doctors took her from him and placed her on the stretcher, running back into the hospital, other doctors asking if they were all alright. They nodded, still in shock, and the nurses and doctors left with Cameron, leaving Foreman, Chase, Wilson, and House alone. Cuddy ran outside, past Cameron, standing by Chase. Stacy followed, stopping in the doorway of the hospital, looking at the pitiful scene.

House stared down at the droplets of blood that had fallen on the snow and marveled at how much they resembled rose petals, wet rose petals. He sank to his knees, astonished at his own weakness, his leg throbbing unbearably hard, but he ignored it. Cameron was shot. She had taken the bullet that had his name on it. Why?

Cuddy walked to House, extending her hand, and House took it, his own hand covered in Cameron's blood. Wilson grasped Chase's shoulder, who had started to sob, while Stacy beckoned to Foreman from the doorway. In pairs, the doctors went back into the hospital, to find where they had taken Cameron, and if anything could be done for her.

The sound of sirens in the distance followed them, the snow still falling.

_

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A really dramatic chapter. Sorry for all you Cameron fans! I am a Cameron fan, too, but doing this was what I had planned since the beginning of the story. I have another chapter or two to go yet, to wrap everything up. Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think. Thanks so much and I look forward to some reviews._


	22. A Funeral And A Promise

_Here is another chapter! I was debating on whether or not to do a sequel to this one; after all, "Just Once" was a sequel to "Music," and that went over well. Considering how many people are reading and reviewing this one, I might do a sequel if enough people request it. So, just let me know if you want this story to continue later on! I was going to tack it on to the end of this story, but then it would get very long and my own attention span wanes when there is more than 20 chapters or so... _

_This is the last chapter in Heart Of A Fool! Thanks so much for getting this far! _

_For all you Cameron-haters out there, you're going to love this. For all the people who love Cameron, I'm sorry. (I know I shouldn't apologize, as someone said, but I can't help it! I don't like to make people mad, but I love writing angst when it comes to her.) _

_Onward!_

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The Funeral And A Promise

The day of the funeral was as cold as ever, thick snowflakes coating the world in a frosty blanket. The cemetery was as ghastly beautiful as a cemetery could be, granite tombstones bearing their weight in snow that rested on top of them, artificial flowers ragged with the harsh conditions. Statues of angels struggled to emerge from the snow, robes twisted in an unearthly breeze, faces turned to the sky, arms outstretched. Trees, their branches twisted and gnarled and coated in snow, lined the path through the cemetery, the large trees catching snowflakes before they hit the ground or came to rest on the mourners. The ground was not quite frozen, allowing Allison Cameron to be buried before winter truly began.

The hearse led the procession, the ebony coffin following the car. Mrs. Cameron followed her daughter, weeping. Cameron's brother and father carried the front of the coffin, Foreman and Chase following with the end. Cuddy and Stacy walked together, muttering in low voices, Cuddy wiping away a tear that had escaped and ran down her face before she thought anyone saw. Family followed directly after Mrs. Cameron, a small group of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Finally, at the end of the procession was Wilson and House.

They reached the grave and the proper procedure was taken care of, a prayer for Cameron echoing through the graveyard. As the black casket was lowered into the ground, Mrs. Cameron had to be led away by Mr. Cameron, who shot House a look of disgust as they passed by the doctor. House hung his head, unable to meet his eyes. Had he known his daughter had seen the gun the same time he did? That she didn't jump out the way, but instead clung harder to him, never moving as the bullet whistled through the air?

It was still unknown if she had jumped in front of House or if she had simply been in the path of the bullet, the gunman a poor excuse for a gunman. He had been caught, Mr. Deleyney's son, and was now in prison, awaiting a sentence. House supposed he would have to go and testify or something, depending on what charges were being brought up. He didn't know a thing about court dealings and didn't want to pretend.

The rest of the family started to leave, eager to escape the cold. House kept his head bowed as they passed by, glancing up only once. He came face to face with a slender old man, a cane in his own hand.

"Are you Allison's boss?"

House nodded, never making eye contact. He wasn't surprised at the slap he received, his cheek stinging as the old man, with tears in his eyes, hobbled off, a family member taking the old man's arm and helping him down the path to where their cars waited. He had deserved that. He deserved that a thousand times over.

"House, are you-"

He just nodded, cutting Foreman's words short. Chase sniffled behind Foreman, taking one more glance at Cameron's grave before following his co-worker down the path as well. Cuddy and Stacy walked by, Cuddy pushing something into House's hand. It was that envelope, the purple envelope Cameron had run out of the hospital with.

"My own was an apology, House," she said softly, anger in her voice, but tinged with sadness. "She was having some trouble and we never even knew. Love makes people do stupid things. Don't worry, I didn't read it."

House flipped the envelope over in his hands, his name written across the top, faint watermarks where snow had melted, and a dab of deep maroon on the bottom corner; it was blood. Her blood. House nodded slowly and, for a brief second, he thought he was going to lose control, to let the dam burst and- No, he wouldn't be that weak. House took in a deep breath and blinked rapidly, pushing his lips together. No. He wouldn't show Cuddy. Cuddy understood and patted his arm, none too gently, and walked off with Stacy.

"House, it's time to go, you're going to catch your death of cold."

Wilson realized how improper his words had been when he saw fire flash in House's eyes. Wilson muttered an apology.

"I'll catch up with you in a little bit if you could wait in the car."

"How long?"

"Just long enough to say good bye."

Wilson nodded and started the walk to the car, casting one final glance at Cameron's grave. House hobbled to the headstone and brushed off the snow.

"Allison Cameron. Beloved Daughter, Faithful Wife. We will never forget you," House read out loud from the etched granite. That's right, she had once been married, her husband dying just months after marriage, an illness that brought death. She must have been strong to have dealt with that, losing the one she loved. But, what was he talking about? Now, the hospital staff would have to be strong, to deal with the loss of a great woman. Now, he would have to be strong.

House took a rose from the bouquet by the graveside, the envelope in his other hand. He shook his head and looked around quickly, making sure he truly was the last one there. Then, he whispered, "I'll come back, Cameron. I'll come back."

He walked away, his cane leaving small indentations in the snow, his footsteps following in the others who had also loved Allison Cameron.

_

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There it is, the ending! I wanted to make it sappy and sweet at the end and to leave it open enough that I could do a sequel, if I wanted to. House isn't sure if he really has any feelings for her or not, but he cares about her enough to promise her he would come back. (I always wanted to use that line, so I found this the perfect opportunity!) If it was too sugary for you, sorry; just let me know. No flamers, though, please. I don't think I have to worry; everyone here is very polite, as far as I can tell! Thank you again for being such loyal readers and I hope I get a few reviews telling me what you all think!_

_Other stories call and I must answer! Thank you again and you will see many more stories from me! Thanks!_


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